Salt Lake City, Utah - The Bureau of Reclamation has an environmental management officer now on site monitoring the initial response and cleanup work being conducted by Chevron Pipeline crews on the diesel fuel spill adjacent to the Willard Bay State Park. Willard Bay, created by the Arthur V. Watkins Dam, is a Reclamation facility managed by Reclamation's Provo Area Office in partnership with the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District.

Reclamation understands that the spill occurred from a Chevron pipeline, leaked into Willard Creek, which in turn feeds into Willard Bay. The spill was just north of "Eagle Beach" near Cottonwood Campground. While the land is within the state park, the property involved is actually Reclamation's as part of the overall Weber Basin Project.

At this point no diesel fuel has moved into the reservoir. The fuel leak was initially contained by a beaver dam on Willard Creek. Booms in the reservoir are now in place as a preventative measure to safeguard reservoir water, should oil move from Willard Creek into Willard Bay.

While the cleanup is the responsibility of Chevron, with oversight by appropriate state and federal officials, Reclamation's primary concern is the preservation of the high quality water supply in the reservoir. Additionally, Chevron’s environmental response team is implementing a water quality sampling program.

During the irrigation season, water can be pumped from the Arthur V. Watkins Reservoir for irrigation of lands lying along the shores of Great Salt Lake.